The armies have marched toward each other until they stand face to face. Paris struts his stuff, challenging the Greeks to fight him “face-to-face in mortal combat.” When Menelaus sees this “flaunting”, he’s just about licking his chops. He can’t wait to get him some Paris. Homer describes Menelaus as

like a lion lighting on some handsome carcass, lucky to find an antlered stag or a wild goat just as hunger strikes – he rips it, bolts it down…